Lighting device



May 9, 1950 E v SUNDT 2,506,620

LIGHTING DEVICE Filed OG'. 4, 1946 Patented May Q, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LIGHTING DEVICE Edward V. Sundt, Chicago, Ill.

Application October 4, 1946, Serial No. '701,217

6 Claims. l

This invention relates to lighting devices and more particularly to Christmas tree lighting devices.

The principal object of this invention is to provide an improved lighting device having the features of ease of production, safety, long life and ornamental value and wherein the need for light bases and changing lamps is eliminated.

In carrying out the object of the invention there is provided a thermoplastic housing having a base portion and a cavity opening into the base portion for receiving a lamp such as a two-electrode neon lamp. The thermoplastic housing which receives the lamp is preferably transparent or translucent and provides a soft candle-like illumination. The base portion is preferably provided with grooves for receiving insulated wires and connectors located in the grooves electrically connect the wires and lamp. The connectors may be provided with sharp points for piercing the insulation of the wire to establish the electrical connections. A limiting resistor in one of the grooves may be included in the electrical connections. Wings formed on the base portion may be heated and folded over the base portion to cover the lamp-receiving cavity and the grooves and hold the wires in contact with the connectors.

Further objects of this invention reside in the details of construction and the cooperation between the component parts of the lighting dey vice.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reference to the accompanying specification, claims and drawing, in Which- Figure 1 illustrates a string of lights incorporating the lighting device of this invention;

Fig, 2 is an end elevational view of the lighting device with the wings unfolded;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but with the wings folded;

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially along the line 4 4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional View taken substantially along the line 5-5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line ii-S of Fig. 3; and

Figure 7 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially along the line 'i-'l of Fig. 3.

As shown in Fig. l, the lighting device is generally designated at l!! and has electrical energy supplied thereto by insulated wires il. A plurality of lighting devices may be associated with the wires i I to form a string of lights particularly portion i adaptable for lighting and ornamentation of Christmas trees.

As shown in Figs. 2 to 7, the lighting device i0 includes a housing I2 having a cavity I3 for receiving a lamp iii and also provided with a base The housing i2, including the base portion i5, is made of a thermoplastic material which is preferably transparent or translucent. The lamp iii, insertable in the cavity I3, may be a conventional two electrode neon lamp, which is noted for its long life. Illumination given off by the lamp it passes through the transparent or translucent thermoplastic housing l2 to provide a soft candle-like illumination. The top of the housing li.' may be of stepped formation, as illustrated, in order to enhance the ornamental characteristics thereof.

The base portion i5 of the housing is provided with a pair of horizontal grooves S'i and I8 for receiving the insulated Wires Il and the grooves may be enlarged, as at i9, to accommodate the lead wires extending to the lamp i4.

An electrical connector 20 having a sharp point 2| is embedded in or forced into the base portion 5l along the groove IS and this connector 2@ is connected by a lead wire 22 to one of the electrodes of the lamp Iii. When the wire il is inserted in the groove i8, the sharp point 2l punctures the insulation of the wire and establishes an electrical connection with the conductor in the wire.

Also forced into or imbedded in the base portion i5 along the groove il is another connector 23 having a sharp point 25,* which is adapted to pierce the insulation of the wire il in the groove Il and establish electrical connection with the conductor within the wire.

The connector 25 is forced into or imbedded in the base portion i5 along the groove il' and this connector 25 is electrically connected by a lead wire 26 to the other electrode of the lamp h3.

Preferably electrical connection is established between the connectors 23 and 25 by means of a limiting resistor 2l therebetween. The limiting resistor 2 may be a conventional resistor electrically connectedto the connectors 23 and 25 or it may be formed by spraying the bottom of the groove l'l and the enlargement i9 thereof with a slightly conductive paint to provide a high resistive electrical path between the connectors 23 and 25. Preferably, the limiting resistor has a value of around 100,000 ohms. The electrical circuit may, therefore, be traced from the wire l i in the groove ll, through connector 23, limiting resistor 21, connector 25, lead wire 26, lamp M,

T electrically "connecting" the lamp "to wires'l prising a thermoplastic l'housing having a' 1oase lead wire 22, and connector 20 to the wire Il in the groove I8.

The base portion I5 is provided with a pair of wings Z which are in the position shown in Fig. 2 during the assembly of the lighting device. After the lamp if has been inserted in the cavity I3 and the wires il have been inserted in the grooves Il and i8 Awith the proper establishment of electrical connections the thermoplastic Wings 29 may 'then beheatedand folded over from the position'shown in Figf2 to the positionshown in Fig. 3. The wings, therefore, close the cavity I3 to retain the lamp I in place therein, close the grooves il and Is to retain the wires ii'therein and maintain the wires in electrical contact withL` nection with the limiting resistorl, the Inormal lighting life othe lighting "deviceV is somewhere between -1c2100() and '15,000' hours, which repre- V""*sents aboutthirtylfrveyears 'of lighting in' con nection with Christmas trees.

` v"Wl'iile-forpurposes of illustration one form'of this invention *has b'een jdisclosed., other orrns "fthe'reof 'maybecorne apparent to'those skilled-in "the art `upon reference'ito this disclosure,`Y and, f

'jtheref'orethisV iriventionisltoibe limited only-hy the'scopeof theappended'claims and prior art.

k"What 'I claim'is:

l. A' lighting" device "for "receiving a' lair-p an d Yportion and a cavity for receivingthelarnp'open- 'ing into 'theloase portion, Ygrooves in the hase portion for receiving the Wires; connectors in the 'g'rooves" to electrically Aconnectl the `wires-and the ""lamp, and' Wings v'formed "on the oase "p "tion adapted to o'e heatedand foldedover the'hase 'portion to enclose the4 cavityahd grooves.

`v2fA 'lightingdevice'for receiving aflamp and electricallycohnecting th'e'lalmp'to insulated'wires "comprising @thermoplastic 'housing'having a'base VAportion and a'c'avityfor receiving thelampopening "int-fthe loaSe'prtiOn, grooves"inthebase portion `for'rece'iving'tloe 'insulated' wires;v connec- ""torsin"the' grooves 'to"' electrically connect the wires and the lampfand having points for piercing the wire ihs'nlationand'wings formed' on'th'e hase "portionadapted to 'be hatedand folded over 'the `base portion to` enclose "the cavity and 'grooves and ho'ld the Wires against the connectors.

"3.' A` lighting devicevforre'ceiving a Nlamp and electrically connecting thelam-pf'to' a -`pairoiinsulateol wires comprising a thermoplastic housing having a. point for piercing the insulation of the wire-in Athat'groove,` a connector ,in the 'other groove electrically connected Atothe lamp, a conm -nector in the last mentioned groove having'a point Vfor piercing .the Vinsulation of the wire in that groove, a limiting `r'esi'sitor between the lastmentioned connectorala'nd Wings vformed on the having a point for piercing the insulation of the wire in that groove, a connector in the other "groove electrically connected to the lamp, a connector inthe last mentioned groove having a `point"for"'piercing the insulation of the wire in that groove,- vatslightly conductive paint on the groove between the last-mentioned connectors to 'form a limiting resistor, and wings formed on the base portion adapted to be heated and folded .L over:` the. baseiportion toi' enclose'fthe :cavity and A lgroovesaandholofthe -wires againstfthe :connectors 5. A lighting device for receiving a lampfand electrically connecting the-:lamp to` apair offinsulated wires .comprising a. housingffor supporting theclanipand-Shaving al Vbase* portion;v a1, pair of grooves Lin'the :base :por'tioncfor :receiving theffpair of insulated wires; Ya 1. connector iin :one: of`A fthe 'grooves-Y electrically'v .connected tto ithef'lamp: and

' `having apoint.for-piercingthetinsulationofthe iwire in -1that2groorc,-r c; fconnector irr irtheg :other groove electrically connected. to. Vthe lamp;y a 'conf .neetor in; fthe f last .amentioned..;groove having/; a "point 'forv `piercingftheiinsulationxof the .wireiin 'f'thatlgroovegai limiting:1esistorA betweenfthe last *f mentioned connectorsgland wings'on the ibase 'por- 'ftion adapted .to `lofoldeclover the 'haselportion y.to "cover'the grooves f -for securingA the! wires' in .fthe i "grooves i'against the-'pointed connectors.

. 6.;V A lighting .device 'forreceivingvaflampz and f electricallyconnecting. that-lamp toa pair of. :in-

i sulatecl wires r comprising a housing for `supporting Ethefilainp and1:having a base fpontion, a Lpair Tof .grooves ini :the hase .portion for `receiving the 'fpair *ofzinsnlated lVwirespa connector inone-fof Vthe f-fglOOVes'-electrically 'connected Itof the 'lamp and having affpointfor piercingthe insulation of the .Wire 'that groovefa 'connectorinthe other Vgroove -electrically'connected to"thel:.1amp a connector Vin thelast nientionfedigroove vhav-ing `apoint for piercing the insulation of the Wire in that groove,

' aslightlyconductive paint on the' groove 'between Aithelast mentionedconnectors to sform a limiting l iresistorfandwingsi on ithe baseV portion adapted to be folded over the base porti'on'ito;` coverthe against 1the 'pointed connectors.

EDWARD? V.V SUND'IK f REFERENCES :CITED The following references are of record fin' the le ofihis patent:

UNITED STAT-ES- PATENTS 

